


Seasoning

by Pondermoniums



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Canon verse, M/M, One Shot, Pillow Talk, Porn With Plot, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-08-22 13:37:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8287630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pondermoniums/pseuds/Pondermoniums
Summary: Levi is full of surprises. Perhaps most prominently in how he knows Erwin better than anyone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday to our favorite commander! I meant to have this up yesterday but...no excuses. I hope you all enjoy! A little something to help get back in the swing of these two <3

Erwin supposed he should not have been surprised. Levi had the uncanny skill of consistently catching him unaware. Of course, he was not a fledgling in the Corps anymore. Well, Levi had never been a novice, but the seasoning of battles could turn any man into a hardened creature.

Erwin snorted softly at his desk, his thoughts drifting from his paperwork. They called it _seasoning_ , as if men and women were ingredients to a cuisine. Too much _seasoning_ ruined the—

“What’s funny?”

Bright blue eyes lifted. “Levi. You’re still here?”

Dark grey ones slid over to him from where he lounged on the stiff couch; a position of someone who had been there a while. “You mean you noticed me come in?”

Another huff of breath. A laugh that was an answer but not a sign of mirth. Levi responded with something more blunt. “If you can’t be bothered with words you’ve been up for too long.”

The wood of his chair creaked when Erwin stood, the surface of his desk giving way just slightly under the weight spread through his palms. “Says the bat to the owl,” he retorted lethargically as he strode through his office.

He could feel Levi’s eyes on him as he moved, or perhaps it was only this itch in his hand. When Levi was first recruited, Erwin blamed the involuntary lift of his hand on Levi’s size. A size that would fit so wonderfully against him. But it was far too easy to underestimate Levi because of his size. Erwin had first hand witnessed Levi educate a batch of recruits who had thought to describe him as _petite._ Fierce and hard were words more apt for Levi. Focused and stern. Utterly compassionate and steadfast.

Erwin scrubbed a hand down his face. It was too late. So late it was early. These ruminations came too easily at this hour. Yes, he was attracted to Levi, but after he stopped imagining the lithe figure in his bed he blamed his own years as a trainee.

His brows lifted. Those escapades felt as old as the walls. It was strange to think that he had once kept his sheets open for nightly guests. It was less strange to remember when Mike was a living reminder who occasionally recruited Erwin to arrange for Nanaba and Mike to run into each other. For a man who could smell anything for kilometers, one would think he could find his lover by himself…

Erwin opened his eyes. It was morning.

The bed squawked dejectedly as he rolled off of the mattress. He did not need to dress because he had never undressed. He lifted his arms above his head, leaning so his spine readjusted while he muttered, “Goodness, everything creaks.”

As if he had heard him, Levi greeted in the canteen, “Old man.”

Erwin was desensitized to the greeting. Levi tended to address people with their names, or whatever he personally identified them as. At the start Erwin had wondered if he should correct him, at the very least insist Levi call him by his rank, but then Levi had nearly concussed a cadet for a remark towards Erwin. He could not even remember the comment, it had been so insignificant and far less severe than what he weathered from parents upon their return from missions…but whatever it was, Levi had growled, “Don’t state the obvious, shit head.”

This morning, the corner of Erwin’s mouth lifted in an uncharacteristic smirk. Levi stared bluntly while Hange’s food fell out of her mouth beside him. Erwin left them in their variations of shock as he went to collect his breakfast. Given the rough circumstances of Levi’s entry into the Survey Corps and his…relationship…with Erwin, having the stoic man defend him so readily had been an unexpectedly much needed surprise.

“What is with you?” Levi said that afternoon. Erwin peered down at him, silent and waiting. “Your uniform is wrinkled and your stupid gold hair isn’t combed. You smell musty like you haven’t bathed.”

_Stupid gold hair._

_Gold hair._

_Gold._ What a choice of words.

His chin slowly dropped in a nod. “I will rectify accordingly this evening. Thank you, Captain.”

Levi’s stern expression seemed ready to say more but his lips pressed together and he walked away. Erwin understood why three hours later when Levi appeared beside him with the terse words, “Bath. Now.”

In his private bathroom Erwin lifted his arms for a sniff. Perhaps Levi had a sensitive nose like Mike. Or Erwin’s had lost its function. He peeked at himself in the mirror, self-consciously moving the flesh of his nose around while thinking, _Well that’s foolish. Why would this be so large with no purpose?_

Knock. Knock.

His reflection looked away, answering the sound before his hands could. Levi looked up at him from the other side of the threshold, his eyes instantly narrowing. “You remove your shirt before the tie?”

Erwin looked down at himself and the turquoise pendant resting on his sternum. “I don’t usually think about these things,” he admitted, surprising himself. Perhaps it was suddenly having Levi so near his personal sanctum that he had blurted out something so naïve and unprofession—

“You wouldn’t,” Levi returned, striding right past him. Erwin, puzzled, examined the space around him and the door, realizing that Levi was both small and agile enough to squeeze past him without brushing him or scraping the doorframe. Erwin heard his voice from the bathroom next: “Where is your soap?”

Erwin came to lean against the bathroom doorway. “Do you intend to bathe me yourself?”

“I intend to make sure you do it properly,” Levi countered as he uncovered the cache of soap underneath the sink. “For the last month you’ve been too busy to clean yourself correctly. Have you forgotten how?”

Erwin might have smiled, but he was so fatigued Levi might have been right, and he said as much. “Perhaps I have. What are your orders, Captain?”

Without looking at him, Levi went to feel the temperature of the water filling the bath. He immediately turned the hot faucet on all the way. Steam began to twist and writhe out of the ceramic basin. Erwin watched its hypnotic dance as he said, “Do you intend to boil me like lobster?”

“I don’t know what lobster is,” Levi said with his back still to him. He seemed to be gathering all things like soap, shampoo, and when had Erwin put lotion in here?

“It is a type of crustacean,” Erwin reiterated.

Levi muttered, “Is that a longer word for shrimp?”

Erwin huffed something like a laugh. “Yes.”

Levi gestured to the tub. “Get in. Clothes off.”

“I have managed that much,” Erwin returned. The bolo tie landed softly in the sink on top of his shirt, followed by his pants, underthings, and his boots came to stand beside the cabinet underneath.

“Get in,” Levi repeated as if he needed the instruction. One of Erwin’s legs was poised over the water.

“You made it too hot, Levi.”

“Get in.”

“In a moment.”

“Now.”

Erwin peered at him only to meet steel eyes. His leg descended and he felt the hair rise, tingling against the heat that melted through to his bones. It was certainly too hot but as he lowered himself into the bath, he understood why. Immediately the muscles in his back and thighs began to relax, causing him to sink lower into the water. He did not even open his eyes when he felt shampoo pour over his dry hair.

But he did heave his eyelashes up when Levi scooped water over his head, gently scrubbing to produce suds. The fringe dragged off of his forehead, obeying his touch as the muscles around Erwin’s ears unexpectedly tingled. He hummed a sound that was rough in his throat. When Levi’s fingers receded he corrected, “That feels good.”

The fingers returned, ever so slightly more insistent as he massaged his scalp and the nails drew circles across the roots of his hair. Erwin greeted the new revelation: Levi being gentle…wary.

He sank ever lower into the bath until his neck was subject to the same treatment of the heat; knots of knots uncoiling from the deep recesses of his bones and vertebrae—

The fingernails scraped down his nape and over his shoulders, waking him up with a grunt. He heard the movement of fabric and then, “Scrub yourself.”

Erwin opened his eyes to see a sponge usually reserved for washing the floors or dishes in Levi’s hand. Erwin took it but commented, “Won’t this be abrasive?”

“That’s the idea.”

So starting from his toes, Erwin scrubbed, and the result was less than attractive. The water clouded with dislodged sweat and toil, a layer of skin Erwin supposed he did not need leaving the flesh underneath ripe and pink. When he had gone all the way up to his neck from his fingertips, Levi took it from him and shoved him forward. Erwin spared a thought toward Levi’s sleeves, but the smaller man did not hesitate to scrub down his spine and along his waistline. He just as easily pulled Erwin back by his shoulder so Levi could tip his head backward. Erwin had the pleasant landing of Levi’s thigh for a pillow. Erwin’s eyes opened to see how Levi had positioned himself on the edge of the bath but Levi immediately covered his eyes with a shockingly cold towel compared to the heat.

The towel only covered his eyes while he heard the water soak into another before Levi attentively scrubbed small circles over his jaw and cheekbones. He took care around Erwin’s ears before removing the cold press to carefully clean around his eyes and nose.

“Is that lavender?”

“Hange calls it jasmine,” Levi replied quietly.

“Mm,” Erwin acknowledged. _Levi likes jasmine._

At some point Levi procured a comb, with which he raked Erwin’s hair off of his face before announcing. “As the water drains, rinse yourself.” Without unsettling Erwin from his thigh, he reached down for the tub stopper, following with a twist to the hot faucet. “There’s no point in scrubbing if you stew in it.”

Erwin lifted his head himself and heard the soft footfalls of Levi exiting the bathroom. The water had already drained down to his waist as he commenced to rinse his arms underneath the fresh torrent of water. It was too hot, of course, but when Erwin finally rose out of the tub he felt as if he had rinsed a decade of stress and filth away.

Levi was naked in his room, neatly folding his garments into a pile on the corner of the bed. “Should I have left the water on?”

“I’ll handle it,” Levi said as he walked as casually as if he was clothed to the bathroom. Erwin analyzed this situation. Only trainees balked at group nudity until they had to wash the residual blood of titans from their uniform in whatever river they came across.

He buttoned a fresh pair of trousers around his hips, leaving his chest bare. Going to the bed, Erwin’s fingertips dusted over the collar and buttons of Levi’s clean and starched uniform. No…not starched. Ironed. The fabric was soft and pliant to his touch.

A hardness met his touch, and he extracted a small vial of oil. On the label was Hange’s characteristically well drawn jasmine blossom with horrendously illegible handwriting. With the bottle in hand he leaned against the bathroom doorjamb once again. “What inspired your liking of jasmine?”

“I tired of bergamot,” he said from the bath, raking his wet tresses back.

“Has your time with Hange brought these to your notice?”

Levi let his head sag on his shoulders. “Those pigs in the capital think whatever they soak their collars in smells nice. Hange’s oils are free and less of a punch to the nose.”

Erwin unscrewed the lid as he said, “I’m sure Mike thanks you… Mm, this is nice. We have jasmine tea, you know?”

Dark lashes lifted. “I didn’t.”

Erwin made a sound of acknowledgement. “It is kept in the medical ward for its aromatic properties. It helps those sorting through trauma.”

It was Levi’s turn to hum in response. Suddenly he stood from the bath, swathing himself in a long towel. Erwin interjected, “I did not mean to intrude—”

“I bathe regularly,” Levi retorted, but softly. “You don’t intrude, Erwin.”

Erwin’s body rolled along the doorjamb to get out of the way of Levi leaving the bathroom. “I suppose it is hard in my own washroom, but manners.”

Levi had pulled the towel from his body to ruffle in his hair, and then let it drop to the floor before he reached up and pulled Erwin down for their mouths to join. Erwin was pliant yet very still at first. It was not a kiss; it was all lips and tongue before Erwin observed Levi’s closed eyes, and tipped his chin up a little higher to claim Levi’s mouth the way he wanted. The fingers on his chin explored his throat, considering Levi’s nape while he moved his head ever so slightly in a circle. Erwin felt the flesh of their lips move against each other and the way Levi chased his kiss…

Instead of his nape, Erwin’s hands dropped to his thighs and lifted him up. Levi’s ankles thunked against something as his back abruptly hit the wall. Erwin was out of practice with finesse. Levi hardly seemed to mind; his intent was Erwin’s mouth, tasting him and finding all of the places he could press against him. Erwin felt his cock rise and pulse as he began to writhe in Erwin’s arms, already demanding friction. Levi only detached from his mouth to lick a trail along his jaw and then plant a loud kiss on his throat.

Fortunately the bed caught them. Erwin wandered as close to it as he could manage before letting himself backwards over it. Levi bounced over him and settled in the cradle of his thighs and pelvis, initially grinding against him until his hips lifted to pop open the button of Erwin’s trousers. Erwin took the initiative and worked around Levi to remove them. In a single move, he kicked them to the floor and rolled over so he could plunder Levi’s throat and chest. One of his hands pushed his erection against Levi’s on his abdomen to focus his thrusts in the right place. He later chose to grip them together, thrusting and pumping until Levi’s hand found his gold hair.

 _“Inside,”_ he growled.

Without warning, Erwin’s teeth found a nipple the same moment his fingers plunged inside Levi’s ass—

The bedroom fell on its head...or Erwin was on his back again. He blinked up at Levi adjusting after the switch…the way his chest arched up and one of his shoulders rolled back for the hand to find his entrance. Erwin stared, dazed, as the slightest flush of pink bloomed under Levi’s cheeks, more so on his throat and chest. A thin line of precum slid over his reaching cockhead to fall on Erwin’s belly. 

As he watched Levi preparing and pleasuring himself Erwin supposed he should not have been surprised. Levi had the uncanny skill of consistently catching him unaware, especially now, blindly feeling and stretching himself with the utmost care. Slow. Erwin scolded himself for thinking Levi would want it quick and rough. Their lives were quick and rough, this should not be.

“Ah! What is that?” Levi gasped after he heard a drawer close somewhere. He did not open his eyes, blatantly trusting Erwin and whatever the slick fluid slithering in his ass was as Erwin’s fingers joined his own.

“Seasoning,” Erwin breathed.

Levi’s brows furrowed but his pelvis lifted, pumping himself over Erwin’s fingers. “What? Bastard, what?”

His breath hitched when Erwin’s body hardened beneath him as the man sat up. The air in his lungs rattled as he sat flush over Erwin’s fingers and the cradle of his lap while his nipples brushed the commander’s chest.

Erwin kissed the corner of his mouth first, and then the plump curve of his bottom lip. The opposite corner followed, Levi sitting still; only his insides clenched and loosened to Erwin’s probing fingers until Erwin saw the tip of his tongue shine on the other side of that lip. Erwin tilted his head, the tip of his tongue dashing out to taste Levi. Those lips parted, and Erwin leaned all the way for his tongue to slid into his mouth. The contact of their lips was light yet intimate, feeling and savoring each other with more patience than before. Levi’s erection pulsed against Erwin’s belly, giving swell to something akin to pride in Erwin’s chest.

He felt Levi’s fingers leave his ass. Erwin realized his own eyes had shut while Levi’s arms slid across and behind his shoulders. Fingertips dusted over his shoulder blades, his nape…the lightest of touches from hands that had beaten and fought for his own as well as humanity’s survival. Erwin’s breath trembled in his lungs, feeling more at Levi’s mercy than any abnormal…

Levi pushed on his chest, but only so Erwin went back enough for Levi to reach for his cock. Erwin’s eyes blew open to watch Levi hold his cockhead into position, and his head fell back as Levi’s core dragged over him. Erwin felt himself rise back up because of Levi holding his shoulders and leaning back so he could find the perfect angle to take Erwin entirely inside.

Levi exclaimed when Erwin suddenly leaned forward, gathering Levi in his arms so he was not dumped onto his back. He found one of Levi’s nipples but worried it between his lips this time, absorbing every mewl and sound Levi made so they were burned within Erwin’s memory. Unintelligible noises escaped his own throat as he panted around Levi’s thrusts. Agonizingly slow, Erwin felt like Levi was keeping him in the purgatory of bliss but denying him the sparkling finish.

“Levi…” he heard himself exhale.

The captain’s head fell back, his neck opening for Erwin’s face to bury against as he rode out the pleasure, as Levi rode him, only slightly quickening his pace. Erwin might have bitten the flesh of his neck and shoulder, if Levi’s choked exclamation was an indication. Erwin’s hands gripped his hips and ass, feeling the gyration of his pelvis and spurring him more as his fingertips made craters in the soft mounds. Levi’s hands made a mess of his hair, but he nuzzled Erwin’s temple, mixing ebony with gold.

Erwin felt the cliff edge the same moment Levi entered the throes of climax. His pelvis thrashed against Erwin’s, his insides clenching and yanking Erwin into his own orgasm. With his arms around Levi, they fell onto their sides, pulsing together with their abating heartbeats.

It was a while afterward, when they had dragged themselves under the covers and Erwin had Levi gathered on his chest that he spoke. “You always surprise me.”

“How so?” Levi asked, his dark hair splashing Erwin’s collarbone.

“You never fail to halt a negative train of thought as it enters my head.”

Levi’s tone never changed. “We don’t have trains, Erwin.”

“No…we don’t.”

“You and your books,” Levi scoffed lightly. He rose just enough to prop his chin on his hand.

Erwin chest clenched mildly in his chest. “I hadn’t thought you knew about those.”

“You talk in your sleep,” Levi revealed. “Always about trains and sea creatures and birds’ flight patterns. Things humanity hasn’t studied or invented yet.”

“Things we’ve forgotten,” Erwin reiterated.

“Whatever,” Levi finished, easing himself up on Erwin’s chest. “If you let anyone else here it’s your neck on the chopping block.”

Erwin smiled, his grin blooming wider to see that expression of shock on Levi’s face. “Levi, are you telling me to have you and no other as my lover? Your courting methods are very brief.”

The expression hardened. “Leave the trainees to their games. I’m telling you to fuck me or love me or whatever the fuck you call it.”

Erwin’s brows lifted. “There is quite a distinction between the two. You may need to choos—”

Levi palmed his jaw, silencing him. “They’re the same. You’re too old to think about the differences.”

Erwin’s eyes softened. _I’m not that old,_ he tried to say, but Levi only removed his hand to replace it with his mouth.

**Author's Note:**

> Behold, a one shot that doesn't make a whole lot of sense but if you've read my other eruri fics I tend to throw these two in the bathroom...they need pampering, okay?
> 
> @pondermoniums on Twitter and Tumblr


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